The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-03-31
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
.WAsH1NeroN, D, O., Mar. 2S, 1SS;

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
| WASHINGTON, D. O., Mar. %, 1887.
Although the weather continues cold
the days are bright and pleasant, and
evidences of tho opening of spring time
abound upon every hand. The buds are
bursting upon the earlier varieties of trees,
and crocuses and other blossoming plants
| are in full blossom in the parks and
! public grounds.
AS the time approaches for the open
| ing of the great National Drill the head.
quarters of the committee, having :he
matter in charge, presents very active
appearance. Military organizations
from every State in the Union have
notified the committee of their intention
! of participating in the contests, and it is
probable that at least fifteen thousand
:men will be included in the grand
iireview, to be held upon the closing day.
!: Although the success of the undertaking
had long since been assured, the uncer.
tainty which has existed regarding the
concessions to be expected from railroad
companies. has prevented many military
organizations from incurring the expense
of the journey. Since it has been decid.
ed that all of the trunk lines of the
country are to carry passengers at less
than one.hah fare, the committee has
been iubilant, and there is no longer
doubt but that the National Capital will
be taxed to its uttermost to accommo.
date its guests during "drill week." As
the last day of the drill will occur upon
Decoration Day, it is proposed that the
visiting military shall visit the National
Cemetery at Arlington, and participate
in the decoration ceremonies, and as the
route by the Long Bridge is circuitous,
pontoon bridge will be thrown across the
river, at the foot of g street, for use upon
that occasion.
There seems to be no relation between
the railroad collisions and the Patent
Office, but one of the direct results of the
recent railroad disasters in Vermont and
Massachusetts, has besn to stimulate the
inventive minds throughout the country,
and they have set at work to invent
something that will supply an acknowl-
edged public need, and the Patent Office
is being flooded with applications for
patents for great variety of devices for
modifying the danger incident to the
present means Of heating railway cars.
No less than three hundred and sixty
applications of this class have been
received during the past six weeks, and
the number is increasing daily.
One of the stable institutions of the
National Government is the Office of the
Sergeant.at-Arms of the House of Repre-
sentatives. 1t is at this Office that the
employees of the House side Of the Cap.
itol receive their monthly payments, and
the Office is open the year around.
Among the Members in the city, who
visited the Office day or two since, was
Representative W. L. Scott, of Pennsyl-
vania. Mr.. Scott had not drawn any
portion of his salary for more than a
year, and he received from the cashier
$4,000, which is said to have been the
largest sum ever paid to single individ.
ual in the history of the Office.
The work of the Pension Office is
increasing so rapidly that there is like.
lihood of the Office being swamped unless
there is a let up. During the past week
6,247 new claims were filed i; 2,347 claims
we're rejected, aud 2,147 allowed; and
the total number now pending is 287, ,197.
The Mexican pension claims are coming
in in large numbers, and it is not seen
how it is possible to dispose ofthe mum.
Der before the end of the fiscal year,
ending June 30, 1883. The $6,0O0,00O,
and over, appropriated for this class of
claims must be paid out before that time,
OF else, whatever balance is on hand
turned into the Treasury. This will
probably necessitate another appropria-
ton by Congress as it is next to impossi-
BILE to finally dispose of the 10000 claims
Which it is estimated will be filed. The
claimants are beginning to understand
the situation, and are accordingly press.
ing their claims for all they are worth.